Luggage-carrier for bicycles



Patented;v my 5, |898;

' A Hamon fixed Au .'12 v1897.-

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o UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIICE.

FRA-NK M. UFFORD, OF NORVVICH, CONNECTICUT.

,` LUGGAGE-CARRIER FOR BVIQYICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 606,796, dated July 5, 1898.

Application filed August 12, 1897. Serial No. 648,080. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

-Be it known that I, FRANK M. UEEORD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Luggage- Carriers for Bicycles, which improvements are fully set forth and described in the following specification, reference being had to the ac-' companying sheet of drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a device of simple construction and neat ap.-v pearance that may be readily attached to the handle-bars of a bicycle to serve as a recep' tacle in which mail-matter, small parcels, doc. may be conveniently carried.

My device is also of such construction that when not in use it may be readily folded into so small a compass that its presence upon the bicycle is not objectionable.

To assist in explaining myinvention, I have provided the accompanying sheet of draw-'- vented device is of bagfor net form, prefer ably crocheted, knitted, ror of similar ,open

work construction, and referring to the drawings said net is denoted therein by reference-letter a. Net a is supported and held in shape by means of a rectangular framework, to which the open end of said net is secured and from which it depends. The longer sides of said rectangular framework consist of the parallel metallic strips b and c, and the shorter sides or ends of said rectangle are each composed of two sections, which are denoted by reference-letters d and e, respectively. Each end of bar c is provided with short right-angular extensions c', and to each of said ends is pivotally secured at f one of the sections d forming a portion of the ends of the rectangular frame. Each end of bar b has pivotally secured thereto at g one of the companionl Ysectionsl e of saidrframe ends. Sectionsl d and e, forming the ends of the frame, Vare pivotally securedV together at h midway thepoints fand g, already referred to.l Sections d (pivotally secured at f to bar c and at h to sections e) extend beyond said pivotal points and overlap at each end the right-angular extension c' and the section e. That portion of each section d overlapping section chas formedfthereon an upturned lip d', so located as to engage the inner edge of said last-namedsection midway its length to limit the rocking of sections d and e upon each other when opening my device.

-The end of each section d that overlaps the right angular` extension c bears a downwardly-projecting pin o,which when sections d and e are in alinement enters ahole m in a spring fm, one of such springs being provided at each end of bar c, as shown in the drawings, from which it will be readily seen that the describedconstruction forms a lock to prevent the'V accidental 'rocking of sections d at the points f, as well as to holdmthe complete frame open. When itis desiredfto'release said sections to fold the frame, thei'free ends of springs m are pressed downward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5,' until` pins k are released therefrom,when the sections d may be rocked on the pivots f.

Reference-letters n denote elastic bands or straps secured, as shown, to bar c, which straps are employed to retain my device in a ti,'ghtly foldedvposition, as shown in Fig. 4. To support my luggage-carrier upon the handle-bars of .a bicycle, clips o are secured to bar c, adapted to' engage said handle-bars on opposite sides the steering-post of the bicycle.

lBars t, c, d, and e are'provided with perforations p in order that the net a may be readilysecured thereto.

Assuming that a bicycle is fitted up with my newly-invented luggage-carrier and the same is in readiness for use, as shown in Fig. 1, when it is desired to discontinue the use thereof and to fold up the carrier the operation is as follows: The free ends ofsprings 'rnI are pressed downward until pins kare disengaged from the holes m', thus permitting the rocking of sections d and e at the several pivotal points f, g, and h, as seen in Fig. 3,

ICO

and such rocking is continued until the rectangular frame is folded, as shown in Fig. 2. The net d isrnow rolled up beneath said frame and the elastic bands are stretched around and caused to inclose both folded frame and net, as shown in Fig. el, thus retaining the complete device in the small compass into which it has been folded. Then it is desired to again use my device, the elastic bands n are rst withdrawn from the rolled-up net a, thus permitting the unrolling thereof, after which the sections Z and e are forced outward and swung into alinement with each other, the movement of said sections being limited by the lip d', which when the proper point is reached engages the inner edge of section c midway its length, as explained. rlhe free end of spring m is curved slightly downward, and when section d is rocked, as just described, to open the device the pin 7a rides on said spring until it enters the hole m, which occurs when sections d and e are in alinemcnt,

thus serving to lock the complete rectangular frame against accidental folding.

My device as a whole is of very simple construction, is not expensive to produce, and is not unsightly when upon a bicycle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- Inaluggage-carrier,incombination,afra1ne, and a net suspended therefrom, said frame being formed of side and end bars hinged together as set forth, each end bar being jointed midway its length to form two foldable sections, one of which sections is provided at one end with a stop d' and at its other end with an extension bearing pin 7c, and perforated springs secured to one 0f the side frames and adapted to engage and lock the said extensions when the frame is opened.

FRANK M. UFFORD. lVilnesses: FRANK II. ALLEN, MAY F. RITCHIE. 

